Teacher accused of raping minor sent to jail

Binjharpur: A teacher of a government nodal school here who was accused of raping a Class VIII girl was sent to jail Tuesday.

The teacher, identified as Smruti Ranjan Jena, is accused of raping the 13-year-old minor studying in Class VIII in the school premises. Meanwhile, the block education officer Prafulla Chandra Nayak suspended Jena from his post on the directions of the district education officer. The incident has sparked tension in the area with residents demanding stringent punishment for the accused.

Police have registered a case under POCSO Act and produced Jena in the court from where he was remanded to judicial custody after the magistrate rejected his bail plea.

A team of Binjharpur police also recorded the statement of the 13-year-old victim battling for life at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.